Boot-treeing machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

0. L. HBISLER. 300T TREBING MACHINE.

No. 476,460. Patented June '7, 1892.

(Ithaca Lew 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

I O. L. EEISLER. BOOT TREBING MACHINE.

No. 476,460. Patented June 7, 1892.

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NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES L. IIEISLER, OF DUNKIRK, NEXV YORK.

BOOT-TREEING MACHlNE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 476,460, dated June 7,1892. Application filed January 8, 1892. Serial No. 417,376- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES L. HEISLER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Dunkirk, county of Chautauqua, State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Stretchers for PlasticArticles, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to apparatus adapted to be used in the manufactureof plastic articles, and more especially felt boots, shoes, or stockingsand the like; and it has for its object to provide an improved apparatuswhereby such articles may readily be stretched and made to conform tothe desired shape and whereby they may be retained on the stretcheruntil the stretched and molded form has dried or set, so that it willretain its shape.

To these ends my invention consists in an apparatus constructed,arranged, and operating substantially in the manner more particularlyhereinafter pointed out.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View,partially in section, showing an embodiment of my invention in the formof a collapsible last mounted upon a suitable crimping-machine. Fig. 2is a side view, partially in section, of a stretcher or last supportedin a suitable socket and in position for unlocking the last and removingthe boot therefrom. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through the last inits collapsed condition. Fig. a is a front view, partially in section onthe line 4 a, Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a plan View of the sole and heel plate.Fig. 6 is a top View of the leg-section. Fig. 7 is a section of the sameon a line 7 7, Fig. 2. Fig. 8 is a detail sectional View on the line 8S, Fig. 2. Fig. 9 is a detail sectional View on the line 9 9, Fig. 2.

I have illustrated my invention as applied to making a boot of felt, andwhile I shall describe the principles. of the invention and show theirapplication to the specific structure illustrated I do not limit myinvention thereto, as it is evident that the same general principles ofconstruction and mode of operation may be applied to other forms andembodiments of the invention without departing from its spirit. I havefurther illustrated the typical form of a crimpingmachine whereby thestretcher or last can be operated and manipulated, and it is evidentthat the stretcher may be used in connection with this form ofcrimping-machine or anyother equivalent form adapted to carry out themanipulations necessary in making the particular article.

The stretcher or last illustrated consists, essentially, of front andback leg-sections suitably connected to each other and a footsection,the foot-section being shown as composed, essentially, of three piecesand the back section being shown as composed of two pieces, thenecessary connections for operating these pieces being illustrated in amanner that I shall now more particularly describe. These various piecesof the last may be made of different material, according to their sizeand purpose; but I preferably make use of galvanized malleable iron andprovide the parts with suitable perforations covering the greaterportion of their surfaces to permit the steam to circulate and freelypermeate the felt orother material placed on the last. The front section1 is bent to the desired shape, depending upon the configuration to begiven to the boot, and the back section, which is also properlyconformed or shaped, is made up of two pieces 2 and 3, while thefoot-piece, which is connected to both the back and front sections, isshown as made up of three pieces, numbered 4, 5, and 6,1'espectively.The front and back sections 3 are connected together by the links orlevers 13 and 38, pivotally mounted and attached to the respectivesections, and the back section 2 is connected to the front section 1 bythe link l4, also shown as pivotally connected to these parts. The part3 of the back section is loosely connected to the part 2 of the backsection, so as to slide thereon, and it is pro vided with a central slot39 to permit the passage of the link 14. The parts are held togethcr bysome suitable device, as by the lug and pin 40, the lug passing throughthe slot 39 and the pin serving to retain the parts together, butpermitting a longitudinal sliding movement thereof.

The parts 2 and 3, while they may slide with relation to each other inthe operation of the device, as pointed out hereinafter, are alsoprovided with means whereby they may be locked and held in theirextended position, and I have shown as a simple and convenient devicefor this purpose a slot1-2, arranged in the part 2, and a catch 41,formed on the slotted piece 3 and arranged in such a manner that whenthe parts of the stretcher are distended, as shown in Fig. 2, the catch41 will slip into the slot 42 and the parts will be held together, theelasticity of the material on the last or stretcher tending to keep thepartsin connection until forcibly released. As a convenient means ofseparating these partsI have shown a lever 22, having a hook2l,connect-ed to the crimping-machine, the hook being of such a form thatwhen it engages the lower portion of the slot 39 in the part 3 and isforcibly drawn therein its wedging action separates the parts 2 and 3,so that they are unlocked, and then a further action upon the leveroperates to fold the parts of the device into the position shown in Fig.3, when the article thereon may be removed. I have shown this lever 22as attached tothe crimping-machine, as I find that a convenient placefrom which to operate it; but of course it may be used independently ofthe crimping-machine, if desired.

Other means of locking the parts together when in their extendedposition can be used, which will readily suggest themselves to thoseskilled in the art; but I find that described simple and effective. Theportion a of the footis pivotally connected to the front section 1 andis rigidly attached to the link 38, as best shown in Fig. 3, so that theportion at will move with the movements of the back section 3. Pivotallyconnected to the end or toe of the portion 4 is the sole-plate 6, whilethe heel-plate 5 is pivotally connected to the rear section 3, and thesole and heel plates are united by a sliding connection 9. (Best seen inFigs. 3 and 5.) The pivot-pin 8, uniting the heel portion 5 to the backsection 3, is made somewhat smaller than the opening 10 in the lugconnected to the heel-piece, which gives a free but somewhat limitedmovement to the heel-piece and prevents any binding action between theparts 5 and G, which slide telescopically with relation to each otherthrough the connection 9. Furthermore, this arrangement permits the endof the heel-piece or rear section 2 to lie below and back of theheel-plate 5 when the parts are in their collapsed position, avoiding aprojection above the surrounding surface of the folded last, andconsequently facilitating the placing of the article upon the last. Theheel-plate 5 is preferably recessed on its under side, as shown at 11,so as to permit it to lie snugly over the projecting corners of thesection 3 when in its extended position, (shown in Fig. 2,) and at thesame time the heel-piece has the requisite thickness and strength, whichis aided by the lug 12, extending longitudinally of the heel-piece.

The stretcher or last is provided with means whereby it may be heatedand steam passed therein, so as to moisten the article beingstretched,and I providein the present instance a perforated steam-pipe17, extending lengthwise through the leg of thestretcher, and this isconnected to a socket-piece 18, by means of which ready connection maybemade with a suitable steam-pipe.

In order to conveniently apply the article to be stretched to thestretcher, I provide means whereby it may be held in an uprightposition, and I have shown a socket-piece 20, which may be attached tothe frame of the crimping-machine or otherwise and be of configurationto receive the end of the front section 1, and steam may be applied tothe device through a pipe 19, having an extension adapted to fit thesocket-piece 18. The weight of the last when supported in the socket Ifind will maintain a close contact between the socket-piece andsteam-pipe to prevent excessive leakage.

In order to expand the last or stretcher when the article has beenapplied to the last in its collapsed condition, I make use of acrimping-machine, which is shown as having a suitable base 31, fromwhich extends an arm 20, to which is pivoteda lever 27, having acounterbalance-weight 28. Connected to the shaft of this lever is apinion 30, whichis adapted to engage with the rack 31 on the segment 32,which is mounted in bearings 33 on the crimping-machine, so that whenthe lever is tilted the segment is operated. The upper portion of thissegment is formed into a hook 36, which is adapted to engage with thenotch -16 in the forward portion of the last, while the notch 23 in therear portion 3 of the last comes in sliding contact with the lower edgeof the gear sector or segment and forms a bearing therefor.

Mounted upon the plate of the crimpingmachine is some means forpreventing the last rotating when under the action of the sector, and Ihave showna hook 21 pivotal] y mounted on the plate and adapted toextend over the upper portion of the last and prevent its upwardmovement when being stretched. It is evident that this book maybe-padded or otherwise suitably formed to prevcntits injuring the goodsbeing crimped. In some instances I find it advantageous to roughen someportions of the last, and more particularly the rear section 2, in orderthat it may take hold of the goods more readily and cause them toconform to the desired shape.

Such being the preferred construction of my device in the presentembodiment, its operation may be stated as follows: Assuming the last tobe in a position shown in Fig. 3 that is, with its parts contracted andsupported upon a suitable socket 20the article to be stretched is placedover the last, and it will be seen that there are no projections orobstructions to passing the article over the last. The last, with itsboot of felt, is then placed on the crimping-machine and the hook 36caused to engage with the section 1, while the section 3 bears againstthe lower portion of the segment or sector 32. On turning the weightedlever the sections of the last are expanded to the position shown inFig. 1, the hook acting to pull the section 1 in one direction, whileforcing the section 3 in the opposite direction, and the arm or hook 24holds the last over the crimping-machine and prevents its rotation.Itwill beseenthatthelinks 13 and 38 cause the parts 1 and 3 to separatefrom each other and expand the leg portion of the last, while the link14 draws the section 3 toward the top of the boot, thus preventing theformation of any wrinkle in the line measuring around the heel andinstep of the last. This motion I find to be quite important, as itprevents the gathering of material around the heel portion, and it willbe further seen that the portion 3 comes in contact with the article tobe formed only near the completion of the crimping op eration, and thenat a short distance from the heel, and this further aids in stretchingand conforming the heel portion of the boot and avoiding the wrinklingthereof. It will be seen that the toe portion 4,being rigidly connectedto the link 38, is gradually forced to assume its proper position, andat the same time the sole-piece 6, sliding on the heel-piece 5, operatesto properly conform the foot portion of the boot, and at no time arethere any undue strains upon any portion which are liable to rupture thefabric. When the last has been forced into its final position to formthe boot, the lug ll slips into the slot 42 and the parts are securelylocked, the tension of the boot holding the parts 2 and 3 together. Thelast is then placed upon a suitable support, as a socket 520 or otherposition, for the purpose of drying and allowing the fabric to set.\Vhen this is done, the parts can be unlocked in any suitable way,preferably by the hook 21, which may be operated by the lever 22 andwhich acts to unlock the parts 2 and 3, when the parts can be folded toassume the position shown in Fig. 3 and the operation repeated. In thisway it will be seen that by making the rear portion of the last in twosections sliding on each other and, if necessary, roughening the outerportion of one or both of themand connecting the heel and toe portionsin the manner shown I am enabled to produce a constant andgradually-increasing pressure on the felt or other fabric to bestretched which will draw the material to the best advantage and allowthe forming of the heel and foot portions of the article without dangerof injuring the body of the fabric, and at the same time the operationsare all simple and positive in their nature and the operative parts ofthe device are not liable to get out of order.

\Vhat I claim is 1. A stretcher coniprisingafoot portion and theleg-sections, the rear sections being com posed of two parts overlappingeach other, and connections between the sections,whereby as the leg isexpanded the parts of the rear section will slide on each other,substantially as described.

2. A stretcher having a foot portion and leg portion comprising thefront section, the rear section in two parts sliding on each other,links connecting both of the rear sections to the front section, and alocking device for locking the parts of the rear section together whenexpanded, substantially as described.

3. A stretcher having a foot portion and leg portion comprising thefront leg-section, the rear le -section made in two parts sliding oneach other, links connecting the inner part of the rear section to thefront section, and a link connecting the upper part of the rear sectionto the front section, the inner part being slotted for the passage ofthe latter link, substantially as described.

4. In a stretcher having a foot portion and leg portion, thecombination, with the front section, of a rear section made in two partsarranged to slide on each other, one of the parts being slotted, and astud holding the two parts in sliding connection, and connectionsbetween the front and rear sections, substantially as described.

5. In a stretcher having a foot portion and and leg-sections, thecombination, with the front section, of the two-part rear section, oneof the parts being provided with a slot and the other with a stud, andconnections between the front and rear sections, whereby the parts ofthe rear section may slide with relation to each other and be lockedtogether and the front and rear sections can be expanded and retractedwith relation to each other, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with the stretcher, of a perforated steam-pipeextending through the stretcher and having a socket-piece connected tothe pipe and a socket conforming to the shape of a portion of thelastand adapted to support the same and having a steam-pipe arranged thereinadapted to fit the socketpiece in the last, substantially as described.

7. The combination, with the socket, of a collapsible stretcher havingmeans for looking the parts in their expanded positions, a lever, and ahook carried by the lever and adapted to engage with the stretcher andunlock the parts thereof, substantially as described.

8. The combination, with the socket, of a boot-tree comprising a frontand rear section, one of the sections being made in two parts slidingwith relation to each other, a locking device uniting the two parts,connections between the front and rear sections, and a hook carried by alever and arranged to engage the 'locked parts to release them andcollapse the stretcher, substantially as described.

9. The combination, with the crimping-machine having a hook-sect0r andlever for opcrating the same, of a collapsible boot-tree supporting theboot-tree while being colconsisting of the front and rear sections andlapsed, substantially as described.

links connecting the same, whereby the sec- In testimony whereof I havesigned my tions of the boot-tree may be expanded by the name to thisspecification in the presence of 5 hook-sector, substantially asdescribed. two subscribing witnesses.

10. The combination, with a crimping-ina- I a chine having apinion andhook-sectormount- CHARLEb HEISLER ed thereon, of a lever for operatingthe same, Vitnesses: a device for holding the boot-tree while being J.H. LASCELLES,

1o expanded by the hook-sector, and a socket for L. Y. MURRAY.

